


From The Inside Out

by jacinth



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Break Up, Crying, Fluff, Happy Ending, Harry hates himelf, Harry's a big nitwit, Louis can't say no to the love of his life, M/M, Makeup, True Love, a bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-21
Updated: 2014-06-21
Packaged: 2018-02-05 14:22:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1821604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacinth/pseuds/jacinth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Besides, we were still kids, not like we would have lasted anyways.” he added, lying through his teeth.</p>
<p>Niall just looked at him. “Bullshit.”</p>
<p>Bullshit indeed.</p>
<p>Or</p>
<p>Five years after they break-up, Harry comes back to town. And Louis, just doesn't want to get his heart broken again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From The Inside Out

“Wait wait wait,” Niall flails, nearly whacking Louis in the mouth. “Harry Styles is visiting London for Christmas? As in, the Harry Styles who dumped you five years ago?”  
  
Louis huffed and rolled his eyes, ignoring the twinge in his chest. “He did not dump me... he fell for someone else.” he tried not to think about it too much, it was still a raw spot and still loving Harry didn't exactly help, either.  
  
“And that doesn't count as a jilt? I can't believe you stayed friends with the wanker – you're a bloody doormat Louis.”  
  
Louis shook his head, “You can't help who you love, Niall,” he knew that better than anyone. “and Harry fell in love with Cara, how could I punish him for that? He didn't cheat, he told me about her, and... I let him go.”

It still hurt as much as the day they had ended things and Louis was sure it always would – it had nearly killed him and he had hidden it well; from Harry, from his family, only allowing it to consume him when he was alone and yeah, maybe Louis was a doormat, but Harry as a friend was better than no Harry at all, so he would take it, as long as Harry was happy - not that they saw each other often, he and Cara had moved to New York four years ago, but they kept in touch, so Louis wouldn't complain.

“Besides, we were still kids, not like we would have lasted anyways.” he added, lying through his teeth.

Niall just looked at him. “Bullshit.”

Bullshit indeed.

  
-:-

Louis was curled up on the sofa watching Breaking Bad when the phone rang. He scowled, always during the good parts! Clambering across the cushions, he reached the house phone on the table. “Niall, I will shove the Big Ben up your arse-”

“Who's Niall?”  
  
Louis' mouth fell open. He really needed to start checking the caller id. “Oh heh. A friend. I thought you said you'd call when you were in the city?”  
  
It was silent for a moment before Harry answered him. “I am in the city. Was wondering if you wanted to hit up a pub?”  
  
“Now?” Harry always was spontaneous – he wasn't surprised.  
  
“Yeah. Unless... you're busy?” Harry sounded almost annoyed even though Louis was sure he hadn't meant to, he never was any good at hiding his emotions.

“No, not busy, I just-” he tripped over the phone cord and landed on his arse. “need to get ready.”

A bark of laughter had him smiling as he hung up before bounding up the stairs to pick out an outfit. He didn't want to look.... boring, but he didn't want to look like he was trying for... _something,_ either. In the end he settled on an oversized jumper, a pair of his favourite skinny jeans and a grey Burberry coat that swallowed him whole. He felt safer in big clothes and deep down he knew it was because it reminded him of when he had shared Harry's jumpers and t-shirts. After they broke up he just... got into the habit of buying things a few sizes too big.

-:-

“Lou.”

Louis spun around. Harry looked he same, tall, wild hair, dimples, perfect mouth... _no_. “Harry.” he breathed, throwing himself at his old friend and hugging him. Perhaps they could be close friends once again, he thought as he felt himself being squeezed tightly and lifted off his feet for a brief moment before Harry pulled back and examined him. “You look good, Lou.”  
  
Blushing, Louis smiled slightly and couldn't stop the blush that flooded his cheeks. “You too.” he pulled away, “Let's get a table.”

They sat for a few hours, sipping their drinks and catching up, neither mentioning the past, until Louis' tongue ran away while they were talking about their families. “I'm surprised you and Cara aren't married yet – you always wanted a family of your own.” It hurt to think about. Louis couldn't give him that and he knew it was part of the reason Harry had looked elsewhere.

Harry didn't answer right away, downing the last of his drink then ordering another before speaking. “We're not together anymore.”

Louis nearly dropped his own drink in shock. “What-”

“She cheated on me.”  
  
“Oh,” How dare that bitch hurt his Harry? “I'm sorry-”  
  
“Don't.” Harry growled. “I don't deserve it.”

“Of course you do! No one deserves to be hurt that way. It's like having your heart ripped apart, and I'm so sorry you had to go through-” He stopped and looked at the other man, puzzled, as Harry gripped his hands across the table.  

“I can't blame her, I didn't love her, and she knew it." Harry said, eyes never leaving Louis', "And you're right Louis, no one deserves that. Which is why I came here, to tell you how utterly sorry I am for hurting you-”  
  
Louis pulled his hands away and crossed his arms. “No.” he shook his head. “Don't apologize. You can't help who you fall in love with, so don't. I'm happy as long as you're happy, Harry.”  
  
Before he could comprehend what was happening, Harry had pulled him to his feet and was dragging him toward the exit, tossing money at the bartender as they passed. The cold December air hit him like a wall but it was blocked a second later as Harry pushed him against the brick wall, closing the distance between their bodies and capturing Louis' lips in a warm kiss. Louis didn't push him away -he should have- but he didn't. It felt too good, too familiar, too comforting, like Harry was healing him with every sweep of his tongue, every nip of his teeth, every sweet press of lips against Louis'. “Why did I ever let you go?”

_That_ pulled Louis from his daze and he pushed Harry away even though it hurt to do so. “Because Harry, it wasn't meant to be.” when had Louis become so skilled in lying?  
  
Harry pushed forward again, resting their foreheads together. “I believe now more than ever, that it is.”

Louis shook his head, pulling away again. “No.” he reached up, caressing Harry's face, “No, Harry. You're hurt right now, and obviously not thinking clearly. Don't... don't say things you will regret a few months from now.”

With that, Louis walked away – it was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do.

Harry let him go, and he knew he did the right thing.

  
-:-

The next morning there was a knock at the door and Louis was _not_ in the mood to socialize, but when he opened the door he nearly keeled over. “Harry? What-”

The taller boy shoved his way inside and wrapped his arms around Louis just like he had the night before. “Don't send me away. Please, please give me another chance. I'll prove I'm worthy of you again... no, _now_. That I’m worthy of you now. I wasn't before. I was stupid, so stupid Louis. Please. I'll do anything. I need you, you're _it_ for me, I know that now.”

Louis stayed quiet through Harry's little rant and kept his eyes closed. He had wanted this from the moment Harry had left, but he would die if Harry left again. “No- I- Harry, I can't. _I can't_. If I let you in again and you meet someone else again-” he swallowed thickly, feeling tears on his cheeks. “I can't go through that again Harry. I-I love you and I would do anything f-for you but I won't be your rebound, so _please._ Don't a-ask this of me... I have nothing left to give.”

It took Louis a moment to realize it wasn't just his own tears on his skin anymore and his breath caught as Harry dragged his wet lips across his cheek, “You're not a rebound, Louis, she was. I realized my mistake the second I walked out that door, and she was my punishment. I won't leave. The only thing that could take me from your side again is death.”

Harry slid to his knees, arms still wrapped around him as he pressed his face into Louis' stomach. “I miss you. Have from the second I left. Your voice, your laugh, your eyes, your smell...” he lifted Louis' jumper and placed a kiss on his belly, making his knees want to buckle. “Your skin.” he breathed wetly against his belly, “The way you fit me perfectly in every way. _You_...” teeth dug into the skin over his hipbone and Louis gasped, threading his fingers through those curls. “Every inch. From the inside out.”

Louis dropped to his knees too and enveloped Harry in a tight hug. “Okay,” he whispered. The happiness in Harry's eyes could have cured the worlds endless problems. “But, we... I need us to take things slow.”

Harry nodded almost frantically. “Anything. I'll wait forever if I have to. I love you.”

“I love you too... want some breakfast?”

Harry laughed then kissed him lightly on the lips. “Love some.”

 

-:-

**Six Months Later**  
  
Louis whined in both pleasure and oversensitivity as Harry released hot and wet inside him for the third time that night – morning now – and collapsed at his side, pulling him close. “Can't get enough of you,” Harry mumbled, voice rough and crackly from sex. “Never get enough.”  
  
“Me neither,” Louis sighed, “It's been too long." he bit his lip "Feels _so_ good.”  
  
Harry slid a hand down over a pale hip, squeezing Louis' arse cheek and making him squeal. “How long?” Louis couldn't help but snicker at the jealousy that seeped into Harry's voice.

“Oh... about... hmm... five years, six months and eight days.”  
  
He laughed again when Harry's eyes widened comically. “You...”  
  
“I sort of became asexual during that time... barely even touched myself. You really did a number on me Styles.”

Louis stroked Harry's cheek when he noticed the sad look come over his features, “Stop that.”

“But-”  
  
Louis cut him off with a kiss and spread his legs for the forth time that night -morning- effectively ending Harry's downward spiral into self-loathing.

A few hours later, Louis fell asleep on Harry's chest, smiling at the way the morning sun beamed off of his engagement ring.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments welcome! :)


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